The Engagement
by Catherine Morland
Summary: Raoul is going to engage Christine, but something happens which neither of them expects...R&R...please?


It was the night of the masquerade, and Christine and Raoul were hiding in  
her dressing room.  
Raoul broke the silence. "Christine, I have something important to say. Can  
you come over here, please?"  
Christine reluctantly abandoned her post at the door.  
"It would be better if you sit down, actually." Raoul said nervously.  
Christine eyed him curiously, but sat down without saying a word. Raoul  
wiped sweat off his face, as Christine watched him with a puzzled frown on  
her face. Raoul abruptly turned, knelt in front of Christine, and pulled a  
small box from his back pocket, opening it with a snap and displaying its  
contents to Christine.  
"Christine - ," he started, licking his lips nervously, "Will you marry  
me?"  
Christine stared blankly at him for a minute. Finally she took the ring out  
of the box.  
"A...plastic ring?" she asked, "You want to engage me with...a plastic ring??"  
She suddenly burst out laughing.  
"What do you mean?" he asked, a touch of fear in his voice, "What are you  
talking about?"  
Christine handed him the ring, still laughing.  
"I mean, Raoul, I thought you were rich for crying out loud! Boy -," she  
said, wiping her eyes, "I guess I was wrong. Can't you do better??"  
Raoul looked at the ring. It was no longer the beautifully elaborate  
diamond inlaid ring that had been so carefully nestled in its snug velvet  
case earlier that morning. Instead it was a quite obviously plastic ring.  
It was tinted blue with a carefully glued plastic teddy bear on the top  
holding a small red plastic heart. Quite a stretch from the diamond ring he  
had purchased earlier that week.  
It was now Raoul's turn to stare blankly. Christine soothingly laid a hand  
on his arm.  
"It's quite alright, Raoul, I understand." She shrugged, "I'm sorry. I  
didn't know that you couldn't afford better." She broke off and looked at  
him pityingly.  
Raoul started sputtering. "But – but – earlier, I mean, it had – it had  
diamonds! And it - ..."  
Christine patted him gently on the arm. "It's fine Raoul, I quite  
understand."  
"Really?" he whispered, relief flooding through him.  
"Yes, she continued, "And while I'm afraid I thought that you could  
actually afford a moderately nice ring..." she shrugged again, "I'm going to  
have to call off our relationship."  
Panic seized him again. He started pacing up and down the room, running his  
hands through his hair. "Is it the ring?" he demanded furiously, suddenly  
rounding on her, "Is that it?"  
"No, Raoul." She said, looking at him sadly, "That's not it."  
Raoul suddenly stopped and came to a startling conclusion. Pounding his  
hand on Christine's dressing table, he shouted, "Someone must have stolen  
it and replaced it with this!!!"  
Christine glared disapprovingly. "Really, Raoul, it's one thing to buy a  
plastic ring to try and engage a girl with it, and quite another to lie  
about it!" Then she suddenly glared again. "Am I, perhaps, misreading the  
situation?" she continued, "Did you buy that ring because you thought it  
was the best quality someone like me deserved???" Is that it?!" she yelled.  
Raoul hastily stepped backward. "It's not that! It's just that - ..."  
"Well!" Christine shouted, cutting him off, "I can't be engaged to you  
anyway, Raoul, because I'm already engaged to Erik!"  
Raoul stared, openmouthed. He was aware that he was gaping like a fish.  
"Erik?" he said weakly.  
"That's right!" Christine stated, proudly displaying her hand and the ring  
that was on the fourth finger of it. The diamonds caught the light and it  
sparkled brightly, showing off the high price of the ring. Raoul snatched  
her hand out of the air and inspected the ring.  
"That's my ring!" he finally said, shocked.  
Christine pulled back her hand, startled. "How can it be?" she said,  
astounded.  
"It is the ring I bought you!" Raoul insisted, "I'd recognize it anywhere!"  
Christine gave an uneasy laugh. "What a remarkable coincidence."  
Raoul looked at her firmly. "This is no coincidence, Christine. Erik must  
have stolen it!"  
"Raoul, this is getting out of hand," Christine said disapprovingly, "Just  
because you're jealous doesn't mean that –,"  
"Jealous?!" Raoul practically shrieked, "Me?? NAAH!!"  
He stormed to the door and yanked it open. "Good-bye Christine!" he said  
dramatically, "I don't think I'll ever see you again!"  
He slammed the door and angrily marched down the hall. The last words he  
heard her say were: "Raoul, I'll invite you to the wedding!" 


End file.
